Parenting is exciting, yet stressful and overwhelming. There are many moving parts to consider, from meal times to school schedules and activities. Not to mention work, commitments, and everything in between. It rarely leaves any time for yourself or for rest. Technology often gets blamed for screen overload and stress, while true, it can also be used thoughtfully to support you. It can be a powerful way to create a system that works for your family, rather than against it. The key isn’t necessarily more tech, but it is the right tech used in a smart and effective way.
When properly chosen, technology can help you to save time, reduce mental load, and create more space for connection. If you reframe your mindset with technology and see it as a quiet helper in the background who can remind, organize, and smooth out parts of your day, you can see how it can benefit you. If it is used for something that competes for attention, then it is definitely going to do more harm than good.
If you are a parent who is juggling all the things, then intentional technology might just be able to help you. To support you on your journey, here are some practical ways that technology can help you day-to-day, as well as your family.
Smartphones
Smartphones can be seen as the family command centre. It is often the one piece of technology that most parents have and rely on, and for a good reason. If it is used properly and intentionally, it can act as a central hub. To get the best out of a smartphone, you can use:
- To-do list applications and calendars that you can sync across partners or family members
- Meal planning and grocery list apps to help reduce decisions and cooking
- Photo storage to capture and organize family memories
- Reminders for the important appointments you have to try to keep up with each week
- Safety check-ins and parent controls for kids
- Communication with your family members when you are apart
- Learning and research
When boundaries are clear and age-appropriate, smartphones can help you with communication, organization, and more.
Top tips: To get the most out of it, turn off your essential notifications so you can experience more peace. Smartphones also don’t have to be boring. Make it more fun with a patterned smartphone case.
Smart home tools
Smart home tools can help you to lighten the mental load around the home. It isn’t just about luxury, but how you can remove or reduce the smaller stresses that very quickly add up as a busy parent.
To help you conserve energy, create a nice atmosphere in the home, and free up time so you can focus on what matters most, try some of these family-friendly options:
- Robot vacuums: these can quietly run in the background, helping you to keep your floors clean and take care of what is probably a very regular and unpleasant task off your list
- Smart lights: these can dim automatically at bedtime to support better sleep, and change throughout the day to promote relaxation and a safe, comfortable space for your family
- Smart speakers: these are excellent, not just for playing mood-boosting music for your family, but to set alarms and reminders, which can be helpful when cooking, for morning or bedtime routines, or even homework reminders
Tools for emotional wellbeing
Parents always put themselves last. It is your natural instinct, but your well-being is important and can impact the whole family. Through smart use of technology, you can support your well-being in a variety of ways. For example:
- Meditation and breathing apps to help you reset and regulate your nervous system throughout the day
- Journaling apps that help you to process the hard times and declutter your mind
- Sleep tracking tools to help you monitor your patterns and encourage better rest
Not only can you support your well-being through technology, but you can also support your children's. When you are a role model for these positive and intentional technology behaviors and use your phone to calm down rather than scroll on social media, you are teaching your children some valuable lessons. Remember, they are watching what you do and soaking everything up like a sponge.
Technology doesn’t have to pull families apart. With the right use and intentional action, it can really help you to support your routines, wellbeing, and your life overall. Find what technology will suit your family.
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